Darma Maslag vs Elizabeth Monzon, William

Geston, and Registry of Deeds of Benguet

GR. No. 174908
June 17, 2013
FACTS:
In 1998, petitioner filed a Complaint for
reconveyance of real property with declaration
of nullity of original certificate of title against
respondents. The Complaint was filed before
the Municipal Trial Court.
After trial, the MTC found respondent Monzon
guilty of fraud in obtaining an OCT over
petitioners property.
Respondents appealed to the Regional Trial
Court (RTC) declaring the MTC without
jurisdiction over petitioners cause of action.
The presiding judge declared that it will take
cognizance of the case pursuant to Section 8,
Rule 40 of the Rules of Court which provides for
appeal from orders dismissing the case without
trial; lack of jurisdiction.
RTC thereafter reversed the decision of the
MTC, prompting the petitioner to file a Notice of
Appeal.
The Court of Appeals dismissed the said appeal
and affirmed the respondents contention that

the proper remedy is a Petition for Review

under Rule 42, and not an ordinary appeal.
Hence, the present Petition for Review on
Certiorari.
ISSUE: W/N petitioners ordinary appeal is the
proper remedy
HELD:
No. The CA is correct in holding that the proper
mode of appeal should have been a Petition for
Review under Rule 42 of the Rules of Court,
and not an ordinary appeal under Rule 41.
Under the present state of the law, in cases
involving title to real property, original and
exclusive jurisdiction belongs to either the RTC
or the MTC, depending on the assessed value
of the subject property.
Since the assessed value of the disputed
property is only P12,400, MTC has original and
exclusive jurisdiction over the subject matter of
the case.
In fact and in law, the RTC Resolution was a
continuation of the proceedings that originated
from the MTC. It was a judgment issued by the
RTC in the exercise of its appellate jurisdiction.
It cannot be overemphasized that jurisdiction
over the subject matter is conferred only by

law and it is not within the courts, let alone

the parties, to themselves determine or
conveniently set aside. Neither would the
active participation of the parties nor estoppel
operate to confer original and exclusive
jurisdiction where the court or tribunal only
wields appellate jurisdiction over the case.
The present court looks at what type of
jurisdiction was actually exercised by the RTC,
and not into what type of jurisdiction the RTC
should have exercised.
Inquiring into what the RTC should have done
in disposing of the case is a question that
already involves the merits of the appeal, but
the court obviously cannot go into that where
the mode of appeal was improper to begin
with.
Wherefore, Petition for Review is denied for
lack of merit. The Court affirms the decision of
the Court of Appeals.